Does Perfect CRI Matter?

If a light has a reasonable Color Rendering Index (CRI) rating, it's probably close enough for me. For me, the beam and flashlight quality are more important than a perfectly white light. Unless the task requires excellent color rendition, I've found that anything from the blues of LEDs to the yellows of incans are acceptable.

I happen to have good color perception and, as a paint lab technician, some years ago, had to match many shades of white. Still, I find that I'm less concerned about having an, absolutely, white, beam.

What do you look for, first, in beam quality, color or smoothness and lack of artifacts?

With the steady improvements in flashlights, it's getting easier to find one with a good quality beam that is also very white. Because numerous CPFers have expressed their strong preference for beams as white as possible, I'm wondering what drives this goal.

While I may not share the need for the whitest of beams, I do have limits on how much blue or yellow is acceptable for a light. Given the choice of two roughly equal lights, I'd prefer the one with the whiter beam - but not if it was much more expensive. I suppose I'll become more jaded, over time, and expect perfection in every area. More lights are approaching perfection already.

Surprising because LumiLEDs themselves say that the "warm white" Luxeons have a higher CRI (~90) compared to the "true whites" with ~75 CRI.

Hello Jayflash,

I have had several people look at my LED lights and refer to them as producing a very "flat" light.

This may be in part due to the CRI and in part due to the way the light is produced. I believe the CRI plays a bigger part in this.

The results of this seems to be that an LED light need to be very bright to make up for this loss in detail.

I think a great beam is mandatory.

Tom

I voted no and yes.

That said... I really do prefer beam quailty over other considerations, but NOT at the complete dismissal of the color of the beam!

I have said before, a green (Cyan) EverLed in a 2AA Garrity light is a match made in heaven for beam quality. But I just can't deal with green light!

I can deal well with blueish light in a handheld light.

But I have specifically asked for TWOJ 3W in my Lambda pill, because I'm getting weary of blueish.

Last comment. "Daylight" 20W Commercial Electric CFL. I tried it by itself, TOO DAMN BLUE!!!

In a mix of other warmer CFLs, it is okay.

In a two tube setup at my dads house, we have one warm tube and one cool tube. It is a decent comprimise.

So in conclusion, a nice beam, of WHITE, yellowish or blueish light is no bother. Don't prefer greenish or strong blue, and ain't real keen on pink/purple tint either!

Beam quality to me is more important.

However, I can't say I like REALLY bad color tints. My Surefire L1s for example have terrible tint, as does one of my Longbow Micras. When the tints are terrible, IMO it DOES affect color rendition.


However, a small color tint is no big deal.

Agreed. Tints too green, blue, yellow, etc. can be as distracting as a poor beam, and they can definitely affect color perception.

When I shine it on my biege carpet end it looks funny, it distracts for a moment from the task at hand, usually finding small parts I've dropped. So I prefer as color neutral as possible. TW0K are quite nice in this regard.

Daniel

I prefer a better beam than CRI. That is the reason why I prefer incandescent over LED. LEDs just can't make it when perspective and details are concerned, no matter how white and bright they are.